For the first time Thomson Celebration to dock in Oman

Energy Sunday 09/October/2016 12:59 PM
By: Times News Service
For the first time Thomson Celebration to dock in Oman

Muscat: This winter, for the first time, Thomson Cruises’ ships will be docking at Sultan Qaboos Port, Oman’s tourism ministry said.
According to Thomson Cruises’ post on its official website, Thomson Celebration will be visiting Oman as part of its Arabian Odyssey tour.
The Sultanate has kick-started the cruise ship season with the arrival of Costa Romantica on September 30, the first of 152 expected cruise ships coming to the country in 2016-2017.
“The new season will see tourists enjoying a range of water sport activities ranging from diving and surfing to traditional boating experiences at the different ports around the Sultanate (Sultan Qaboos Port, Khasab Port and Salalah Port),” Oman tourism ministry said in a statement.
Thanks to the continued efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and other related-government entities, the cruise tourism industry flourished in the 2015-2016 and 2014-2015 seasons.
The 2014-2015 season saw 109 cruise ships setting its anchor at the Sultan Qaboos Port, while the 2015-2016 season saw 135 cruise ships, which indicates a 23.8 per cent increase.
It included some of the largest names in the cruise tourism industry, such as Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, MSC Cruises, TUI Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Salim Adi Al Mamari, the Director General of Tourism Promotion, said, “The Sultanate has seen a remarkable growth in cruise tourism, a trend that we as the Ministry of Tourism aim to promote and grow. The cruise tourism segment is a perfect gateway for tourists to discover the rich culture and beauty of the Sultanate. We will work on making this season a successful and wonderful experience, enriching the tourism sector in the Sultanate.”